Valve



Janv. 16, 1940. 1am/,mms 2,187,257

VALVE Filed Aug. 15, 1958 Patented Jan. 1.940 7 UNITED sra'riis This invention, arralve, islparticularly adapted for iiuid-of-submergenceloperation, and is particularly suited for control of dredges of thetypes f illustrated and describedin copending `7 applications, SerialNumber 93,971,7iiled August 3, 1936, for Clamshell dredge; SerialNumber 173,840, led

` November 710, 1937, for Clamshell dredge; and in connection withkthe 'dredge illustrated and described in copendingafpplioationSerial Num- 77 10- ber 224,967,7n1ed August 15, 1933, for Automatic control means for dredges.y 7

The purposes of this invention` are to providea valve 7which ,is normally overbalanced by sur- Acn 7 surrounding liuid; `to provide a valve withauto- 7 matic means for limiting therate of flow of fluid 270 `in one direction through thevalve while permitting greatly increased 7rate7of 7flow in theother direction; to providea valverwhich is `eiectively '7 sealed against pressures in eithendirection.

Indescribing theinvention, reference will be7 7 7 25 had to the accompanyingydrawingin which:

Fig. l is 7-a longitudinal section through the invention and corresponds to aline of Fig. 2. liig` 2 is anend view `of Fig.' 1 corresponding 77 to a7view`=22 of Fig. Land inxmany cases will 730 constitute-the lower 7or-bottom end.

Theinvention consists of acylinderlhaving `a seat Il and an annular sealing recess `IZhav- 7 ,7 ing one wall 7coincident with the plane ofthe seat HQ A head |73'is77provided for thecylinder and hasa passage |74 for admissionof surrounding fluid. 7 7 77 The intake anddischarge end l5 is `illustrated as `restricted and provided with Va pipe tap I6 for connection to a developed source of power, such as compressed air, `or for a discharge-connection,

suchas a draw-off or vdrain for tanks. Ears are provided on the end l5 for apurpose `to be later described. A connection I8 is providedior connection to a device, such as a, cylinder of a prime mover (not shown) `or for direct access to a surrounding `fluid. 7.

Mounted in the cylinderis a piston `IS! havinga piston or connecting rod 20 for 7 connection to 7 suitable valve cracking7 `or releasing means, such 13u asarodZl. l 7 7 Suitable packing, vsuch as opposed cup leathers 7227and 23, spaced by means of 77a 7Lsuita'b1espacer 24, provides an eicient seal'for thezpistonwithin thecylinder, and this sealingmeansfisfretained 55 by a rin7g7725 of suitablernaterial, suchasmetal.

rounding fluid pressures to keep the valve closed and sealed through the influence of the surrounding Iiuid until suchtime as thevalve is cracked `to 7 7 equalize :the pressure, by 7a force other than the An annular ring 2610i rubber or other. suitable resilient material islsecured tothe intake anddischarge end of` the piston bymeansof a WasherfZl and screw 287. 7

Pivoted to the ears 7|'I atA 29 is` a control flap `5 `til which isprovided with one or more apertures 3|' ofproper area to admit fluid in such volume as happens to `be most desirable, and this flap is loaded by a spring 32 7just sufficiently to .keep

it 7in` contact withfthe endiace of the walls of 10 port I G. As is obvious, a `counterweght `(not shown) may readily besubstituted for the spring, and Whenthe end j|5 is topmost,` neither counterweight or spring will be required.

` AAn ear7733 may be `provided on the lhead of the 15 .cylinder in case the 7valve isto be operatedby a hand lever." 7 7 -77The`operatio`n of the valveisas follows, assum- `7 ing the valve 7 is installed vertically and immersed in 7a uid under: pressure, 77such as water. `7The 20 piston, .through its `ownwei'gl'it rests at the bot- 7tom .of its stroke` andthe resilient ring 26 rests on7the7seat I l, and as the valve is lowered inthe water7due to the greater arealexposed at the top of the piston thanwithin-7the7connes of the inner .edge ofthe seat Iii, the pressure of `the water in excessforces the cushion 26 onto its seat,

and as thepressure of the wateris increased the pressure ,between the rubber ringvand its seat is increased, and eventually, after a predetermined pressure-is attained through depth .of submergence, the rubberV bulgesinto the annular recess l2, increasingthe effectiveness of the .seal as the pressure is increased, whileztlie sealing means 22, `213 Yprevents any leakage in either direction l35 7 along the piston. 7 7 7 When the desired depth isreached, an upward pull onv rod 2| of surlicient intensity to overcome the unbalanced-condition7of the pressure on opposite ends ofthe piston will crackthe valve, equal- 740 izing theareas, andfimmediately balance the pressure, and practically no further effort will be 77 required` to raise the piston and maintain the valve `full 7`open. 7

The water of submergence 3i forces through 4 7 j AUl the passages 3l at the relative rate and passesV through the passage Iyand the valve is readily seated againby depressioncf the pistonto seal the port I6,the overbalanced condition or condition of imbalance being re-established as soon as the`7ring 257 is firmly `pressed toits seat, the unbalanced'condition keeping the valveclosed., When the 7admitted Wateris to be discharged after removal 7from thewater 7of submergenee,

7" retraction7of7rod again opens the Valve :and

the water is discharged through port I6, the flow of water overcoming the resistance of the spring 32, forcing the flap away from its seatv and permitting the water to flow substantially unobstructedly.

This valve prevents too rapid inflow of uid to a water-of-submergence-operated prime mover While-permitting quick drainage. When operated at a depth of a thousand feet water-of-submergence-operated prime movers require a Very small intake passage. entirely too small for drainage purposes. l

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a cylinder open to surrounding uid at both ends, one `end of which lforms a selective'intake and discharge endk havy ing a first port'and a plane internal annular seat terminating peripherally in anannular groove formed in the cylinder wall; a piston slidable in said cylinder and sealing means for each endof said piston sealing said piston against escape of fluid thereby and including an annular resilient sealing ring forsaid one end for cooperationwith said seat and expansion into said groove and effectively sealing and reducing the exposed area of that end of the piston when seated, the other end of said piston `being exposed to the pressure of the surrounding fluid through the other end of said cylinder; a second port opennginto the side of said cylinder and normally sealed by said piston, whereby when said piston is seatedy on said seat, said second port is sealed and said piston is in a condition of imbalance due to the difference in area exposed at its opposite ends to surrounding pressures and urged to said seat by the pressure of surroundingflud; `cracking of said valve to expose the seat area to the surrounding fluid restoring saidpiston to a condition of balance with respect to said surrounding fluid; further retraction of said piston openrounding fluid at both ends, one of which forms a selective intake and discharge end having a plane internal annular seat; a piston slidably sealed in said cylinder,` said piston including an annular resilient sealing ring for cooperation with said seat and effectively sealing and reducing the exposed area of that end of the piston when seated, whereby when said piston is "seated on said seat, said piston is in a condition of imbalance and urged to said seat by the pressure of surrounding fluid; cracking of saidy valve4 to expose the seat area to the surrounding fluid restoring said piston to a condition of balance for further operation.; an annular groove formed in the wall of said ycylinder with `one of its Walls formed coincident with the plane of said seat and providing a recess in which the periphery of the resilient ring bulges under predetermined'surrounding pressures.

3. A valve comprising a cylinder open to surrounding fluid at both ends, one'of which `forms a selective intake and discharge endv having a Vplane internal annular seat;A a piston slidably sealed in said cylinder, said piston including an annular resilient sealing ring for cooperation with said seat and effectively sealing and reducing the exposed area of that end of the piston when seated, whereby when said piston is seated on said seat, said piston is in a condition' ofimbalance and urged to said seat b-y the pressure of surrounding fluid;I cracking of said valve to expose Vthe seat area to the surrounding fluid rerounding fluid atv both ends, one of which forms a selective intake and discharge end having a plane internal annular seat; a piston slidably sealed in said cylinder, said piston including an annular resilient sealing ring for cooperation with rsaid seat and effectively sealing and reducing the exposed area of that end of the piston when seated, whereby when said piston is seated on said seat, said piston is in a condition of imbalance and urged to said seat by the pressure of surrounding fluid; cracking of said valve to expose the seat area to the surrounding fluid restoring said piston to a condition of balance for further operation; an annular groove formed in the wall of said cylinder with one of its Walls formed coincident with the plane of the seat and providing a recess in which the periphery of said resilient ring bulges under predetermined surrounding pressures; a seat formed externally on said intake and discharge end and a flap covering said end and lightly retained against said seat and having a passage therethrough to limit the rate of intake flow of external iiuid, said flap being urged away from said seat under the influence of fluid in process vof discharge to permit `substantially unhampered discharge of uid.

5. A piston valve rcomprising a cylinder having a plane annular internal bottom seat terminating in an annular groove formed in the cylinder wall and a combined selective intake and discharge port within the. confines thereof; a second port formed in the wall of the cylinder; a piston slidable in said cylinder and exposed at both ends to surrounding uid pressures and normally sealing said second port; and having at one end an annular resilient member cooperating with said seat when the valve is closed, to seal the valve and create a condition of imbalance to surrounding fluid pressures and therethrough bulging said resilient member into said groove, varying the urgence of said member to its seat and the bulging thereof proportionate to the variation in surrounding pressures and thereby increasing the eifectiveness of the seal as the surrounding pressure is increased; initial disruption of the seal by an extraneous force other than that of the surrounding pressure causing immediate restoration of said valve to a condition of balance to surrounding pressures for facile operation of the valve to open or re-closing positions.

6. A structure as claimed in claim 5, and a flap valve having restricted passages and associated with said confined selective intake and discharge port and normally maintained in closed position restricting the rate of intake to a predetermined valueand movable to open position under the influence of discharging fluid permitting substantially unrestricted discharge of fluid through said port.

'7. A valve comprising a cylinder having an internal plane annular seat a't one end and a combined intake and discharge passage formed within the confines of said seat; a head for the other endand provided with a piston rod bearing and having a communicating passage for surroundt ing uid; a port formed through the sidewall of` said cylinder adjacent said one end; a piston t slidable in` said cylinder and movable to a position from said one end tol uncover said port for l tiveness of sealing as the surroundingfluid pressures are increased; a. condition of balance being established by initial forced movement of said ring away from said seat for facile further operation of said valve.

`8. A structure as claimed in claim '7, a seat formed externally of said one end and a t ap mounted for cooperation with and lcoextensive ywith said seat and normally lightly urged to seat i thereon and obstruct the intake passage and having a restricted passage for uid thereto; `said iiap being urged from its seat under the influence of fluid beingdischarged to provide sub-` stantially unrestricted discharge of fluid from said intake and discharge passage.`

' JOHN C. WILLIAMS. 

